3 bar menu

Azur Lane: Episode of Belfast Volume 1 Chapter 3 Part 5

---

---

Translator: Kurehashi Aiko

---

PART 5

 

While Belfast was reading through the pamphlet and watching some of the photographs added in it, the train finally came to a stop at the station it was supposed to arrive at.

 

When Belfast returned the pamphlet to Renown as she was leaving the station building, she looked at the large clock hanging at the front of the station building.

 

When the whole party realized that it was already long past noon, Rodney turned towards the rest of her companions and said,

 

[Would you like to go and have lunch somewhere before we arrive at the inn?]

 

[Yeah, that’s a good idea. I have been drinking nothing but Oxygen Cola throughout the entire train ride, so I could definitely use some real food right about now. Among a few other things……]

 

When Repulse pressed her hands onto her stomach, she then pointed to Renown, who was right next to her, to see if the pamphlet was listing some good shops or restaurants around the inn itself where the whole group could eat something for lunch.

 

[It seems that this hot spring inn is famous for its soba dishes.]

 

[Soba! I like the sound of that!]

 

Then all of a sudden, Nelson shouted with joy.

 

Seeing Nelson act like that, with her usual coolness and sharpness being completely gone, everyone just kind of stood there and looked at her in a daze, not saying a single word.

 

[…… E-Ekhem, ekhem!]

 

After realizing what she has done just now, Nelson coughed loudly and turned away so that she could hide her completely red face from everyone else.

 

[I-It’s not all that often that you get to eat soba, don’t you agree? That is why my voice got so loud and excited here. Yes! That is the only reason!]

 

[Yes, that’s right. I have heard about soba dishes before, but I have never had the opportunity to try them out myself.]

 

Belfast nodded her head in agreement while speaking in an as-a-matter-of-fact tone and then she turned her face towards Renown who was holding the pamphlet in her hands.

 

[Renown-san, how long does it take to get to the soba restaurant from here?]

 

[If we walk, it’s probably about thirty minutes or so.]

 

[Hmm, if that’s all there is to it, let’s go for a little walk, shall we? After wandering around the place like that, I’m sure that everyone is going to be just hungry enough for a good lunch.]

 

No one objected to Repulse’s words, and each member of the party began to walk along the road with their luggage in their hands. As soon as they left the small station building, they could see a signboard with an arrow that said ‘Onsen Town’, and they would turn into that direction and continue down the street.

 

As the buildings of various restaurants and inns gradually came into view, Belfast noticed that the townscape was decorated with a myriad of small paper hanging lanterns that were literally everywhere you looked.

 

[Perhaps they are doing something called a ‘Summer Festival’ here? The time of year should be just about right for that.]

 

True to Belfast’s assuming words, once the group continued heading down the street lined with decorative lanterns, they would eventually come to a place where various stalls were lined up exactly like they would be during a festival time. From the speakers installed at the telephone poles here and there a very specific melody was being played, and just listening to it combined with the sight in front of you was more than enough to make you feel slightly drunk with the festive atmosphere. All the more so that for Belfast, it was actually her very first time seeing a genuine summer festival with her own eyes.

 

Even Rodney, who was walking in front of everyone else, seemed to be smiling brightly, even if it was completely unintentional.

 

[If we are going to have some time on our hands later on, let’s come here for sure! I really want to try that Goldfish Scooping game that they offer here!]

 

Surrounded by various stalls, colorful lanterns and fancy decorations, everyone present seemed to be completely enthralled by it all. Before she was even able to realize what was going on, even Belfast herself started to curiously look around, taking in those new and unfamiliar sights.

 

And since they were all proceeding forth in such fancy and colorful conditions, the walk was so pleasant and enjoyable that none of the Royal Navy shipgirls even realized that they have been walking for about thirty minutes now, and that they had already arrived at the shop they were aiming at.

 

[It would seem that our inn where we are staying is also not all that far away from here. So let’s go in right away, shall we?]

 

As soon as Renown opened the door to the shop, an enthusiastic voice could be heard from the inside of the store.

 

[–––––– Welcome! Welcome! Come right in!]

 

[–––––– Table for five people, is it? …… Huh? Oh my?]

 

When the five Royal Navy shipgirls turned towards a set of somewhat familiar voices, they could see both Ping Hai and Ning Hai, both Light Cruisers of the Ning Hai Class from the Dragon Empery, standing in the middle of the store while wearing aprons.

 

[Look, Nee-chan, it’s the Royal Navy girls. What are the Royal Navy girls doing here in this place, I wonder?]

 

Nelson then approached the two Dragon empery waitresses while tilting her head to the side.

 

[That’s exactly something that I would want to hear. What are you guys doing here of all places?]

 

Just then, seeing that Nelson was encroaching heavily onto Ping Hai’s personal space, Ning Hai put a silver tray that she’s been holding in her hands in order to put some space between the two.

 

[We are just working here for the duration of Summer as part of a Civil Exchange program. That’s us. Now it’s your turn: what are you guys all doing here?]

 

[We are all here for our day off. We came here to this hot spring inn after hearing about just how many beneficial effects its waters seem to have, and we are going to stay here for two nights.]

 

When Nelson give a brief explanation to the two Dragon Empery shipgirls, Ping Hai clapped her hands together as if she all of a sudden remembered something important.

 

[Ah, I see. So it’s more about this place overall, huh? And certainly enough, I remember Yat Sen-nee saying something about these hot springs having some beneficial effects before, even if I was finding it hard to believe.] 

 

[Oh, now that you mention it, she certainly mentioned something like that, didn’t she?]

 

Ning Hai nodded her head and then guided the five Royal Navy girls towards their table.

 

[Does that mean that Yat Sen-san is here at these hot springs as well?]

 

Rodney asked that question while sitting down, and Ning Hai nodded her head in affirmation and spread the menu on the table of the five people to browse at their leisure.

 

[Yeah, she should have come here a few days ago, but since we have been working all this time at this place, we have yet to actually go and meet here on our own. And she did not pay us a visit, either. But she said that we should pay the hot springs a visit at least once, that it will make our skin all smooth and shiny.]

 

When Ning Hai said that, she touched her own cheeks with both of her hands, and then she pressed them really hard and they bounced right back quite vigorously. Right next to her, Ping Hai did the same thing, imitating what her sister did just now.

 

[Originally, we were going to go camping or something alongside those lines, but before we could even submit the right documents, it turned out that Yat Sen-nee had already submitted one for us, forcing us to come here.]

 

[But then again, we were offered here that we can take part in the all-you-can-eat-buffet, and that was more than enough to make my sister grow fond of this place right from the get-go. So that’s that.]

 

[You don’t have to say something so unnecessary to those people! They don’t need to know that! Well then, please call us again when you’ve decided on your orders.]

 

Even after the two Dragon empery sisters left, Nelson would still frown in suspicion at them.

 

[I wonder if the waters of this hot spring really make one’s skin so shiny and springy…… Oh well, I guess that we are about to see it for ourselves pretty soon. Not that these two could serve as a definite proof.]

 

Nelson then happened to glance at Belfast after making a brief pause.

 

[Hm? What’s wrong, Belfast?]

 

[Huh? Excuse me?]

 

Belfast herself might have not even realized it, but she would actually continue to gaze in the direction where the two Ning Hai Class sisters just went.

 

---

---